Shoe sewing machine



Feb. 27, 1951 A. s. LARK SHOE SEWING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 28, 1948 Inventor Alfred 5.' Clar/f Feb. 27, 1951 A. s. cLARK 2,542,993

SHOE SEWING MACHINE vFiled Kxrlge, 1948 4 sheets-sheet 2 Inventor Aww@ S Clar/f Feb. 27, 1951 l A, s, CLARK 2,542,993

snor: SEWING MACHINE Filedgpql 28, 1948 4 sheets-sheet s Inventor ,4L/"reci S. Clark Mii Feb. 27, 1951n A. s. CLARK A2,542,993

SHOE SEWING MACHINE I 'FiledApfil 28, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 [2.9.6. -f/G E197 /6 Zw Z6 F49 5 65 "'l ZZ 61 lwenor Awe@ 5.' mark Patented Feb. 27, 1.1,( 151 SHOE SEWING MACHINE Alfred S. Clark, Beverly, Mass., assigner to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a lcorporation of New Jersey Application April 28, 1948, Serial No. 23,841

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in shoe sewing machines particularly arranged for uniting the upper, sole and wrapper or sole binding strip of a platform type shoe. A machine of this type is disclosed in United States .Letters Patent No. 2,398,475, granted April 16, 1946, upon application of K. A. Stritter.

In the construction of a platform type shoe it has been the practice to attach the upper and one edge ofthe sole binding or wrapper strip to the platform sole 'by stitches passing through the platform sole. The usual platform sole has attached to it a sock lining or other covering material disposed along its inner surface for reenforcement purposes and for improved durability. The shoe which is intended to be sewn on the machine of the present invention is provided with a platform sole rabbeted along its inner edge to expose the edge portion of the attached sock lining. The upper and wrapper strip in turn are attached to the platform sole by a single seam passing Vthrough the upper, wrapper strip and sock; lining only, to the exclusion of the platform sole, the sole being previously `attached to the sock lining. In attaching the parts of the shoe together in this wayit is desirable to insert the stitches as closely as possible to the inner rabbeted edge of the platform sole without actually entering the substance of the sole as disclosed in an application for United States Letters i Patent Serial No. 23,688, led of leven date herewith in the name of J. D. Chandler. it is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a machine for use in the manufacture of platform shoes of the type disclosed in the Chandler application in a convenient, uniform and effective manner. Other objects of the invention are to simplify and improve the construction and mode of operation of a shoe sewing machine for attaching a relatively thin ungrooved wrapper or binding strip to a shoe during the sewing operation.

A machine embodying the present invention is provided with a needle, a presser foot a work support for clamping the rabbeted edge of a platform sole, in which a gage acts between the work support and presser foot and is fitted within the rabbet of the sole for contacting the setback surface of the rabbet tov guide the sewing operation. Preferably means is provided for adjusting the position of the gage during sewing opera-tions to vary the margin of the seam inserted. The advantage'of such gage is that with a sock lining attached to the platform sole the exposed margin -of 'the sock lining extending beyond the rabbeted edge of the platform sole can be supported by a surface on the gage against the thrust of the needle while the platform sole is held clear of the needle path. The invention also contemplates the provision of a wrapper strip guide and a feeder to reduce the tension in the wrapper strip beyond the guide so that while sewing about the toe of a shoe excessive tension will .not be produced in the outer edge of the strip.

These and other features of the invention are embodied in the devices, combinations and arrangements of 'parts hereinafter described and claimed, the advantages of which will readily be understood from the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in right side elevation of those portions of a shoe sewing machine embodying so much of the construction as is required to obtain an understanding of the invention illustrating a portion of a shoe in section being operated upon;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the same parts of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View on an enlarged scale of the wrapper `or binding strip feeder of the machine;

Fig. 4 is a further perspective view of the work support `and edge gage in the machine;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional View showing the operation of the needle and the position in the Work at which the stitches are inserted by the machine;

Fig. 6 is a sectional View of a conventional platform `sole `with sock lining attached;

Fig. "7 is a similar view of a rabbeted plat-form sole with sock lining attached employed in the construction of the shoe `intended to be operated uponby the machine of the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a lsectional View of a portion of a shoe after being sewn before the wrapper strip is carried about the edge of the platform sole; and

Fig. '9 is a similar View of a completed shoe sewn on the present machine.

The machine illustrated in the drawings is intended to operate in securing together a temporarily connected upper and a platform sole with 4a wrapper or edge binding strip for the construction of a platform shoe such as is illustrated in Fig. 9 with the parts being operated upon unsupported by a last. A last is inserted only after the parts have been attached together with a permanent seam and 'the final shape of the shoe is Adetermined bythe application of an outsole.

3 In thev shoe herein illustrated, the upper is indicated at 2, the platform sole at 4, having a sock lining 6 attached to its inner surface and the binding strip at 8. The platform sole is composed of loosely compressed felt or other similar material of well-known nature and is prepared by cutting to shape a layer of the felt after having secured thereto the sock lining as in Fig. 6. After cutting out the sole the inner edge, not including the sock lining, is rabbeted, as indicated at I0, leaving a margin on the sock lining exposed and unsupported by the vfelt material. The upper is temporarily attached to the sock lining with their edges in registering relation and the parts are sewn together while leading the binding strip into the seam with its edge registering with those of the upper and sock lining. The positions of the shoe partsl While inserting the seam is illustrated in Fig. 5. After the parts have been sewn the exposed margin of the sock lining is bent atright angles into the rabbet of the platform sole, which rabbet is of sufficient depth to receive the upper and binding strip edges as well. The inner surface of the'binding strip then lies ush with the outer unrabbeted edge of the platform sole as shown in Fig. 8. In completing the shoe a last is inserted within the upper 2 and the binding strip folded back upon itself and carried beneath the undersurface of the platform sole 4. An outsole l2 is then' attached inthe manner illustrated in Fig. 9;

vIf the seam inserted in the shoe parts passes through the platform sole the parts will not be held together as securely as when the platform sole is omitted from the stitches, the platform sole being compressible and its yielding action tending to loosen the stitches. Furthermore,

vthe insertion-of'stitches in the compressible felt of the platform sole tends'to distort the sole` from its flat, straight edged shape and, accordingly; to result in the construction of a misshapened shoe. For this reason the upper and binding strip are secured tothe platform sole by stitches passing only through' the sock lining already attached to the'platform sole.

To insure the insertion of stitches passing through the sock lining, upper and binding strip vclose to but excluding the compressible felt of the platform sole, Vthe machine of the present invention is provided with a rabbetY gage, the

work' engaging Vextremity of which contacts the setback surface of the rabbet along the inner edge of the platform sole close to the point of needle operation. The rabbet gage is indicated at I4 and comprises a rectangular plate having a central portion cut out' to forma slide tting a guideway block I6 (see Fig..4) carried by a work support 18. The work support has a fiat flange projecting from a shank secured to the frame of the machine. Cooperating with the worksupport to clamp and release the work is a.V presser foot 22 carried by a presser foot lever 24 actuated to clamp and release the work during each sewing cycle of the machine. The work engaging surfaces of the work support and presser foot are disposed at an angle to that part of the needle path located `between them so that the needle enters the binding strip, upper andv sock lining andv emerges from the edge of the sole through the rabbet without penetrating the sole. The clamping and releasing action of the presser foot lever causes the lever to rock about its fulcrum shaft 26 fixed in the machine.

comprise a curved hook needle '28, a curved awl 30, a needle looper 32, a thread hook 34, a thread lifter 36, and a shuttle 38. The actuating mechanisms for the stitch forming devices are the same and operate in a manner similar to those disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 473,870, granted April 26, 1892, upon application of French and Meyer.

To support the exposed margin of the sock lining of a platform sole presented to, the machine against the thrust of the needle 28 and vto prevent` penetration of the sole by the needle,

the gage I4 is formed with undercut and slotted portions. The slotted portion enables the needle to ,enter the slot therein during engagement of the needle with the work. The undercut portion of the gage provides a recess along which the outer unrabbeted edge of the sole moves freely in the direction of the seam. The upper surface of the gage is set between the presser foot and the work support to support the undersurface of the sock lining as shown `in Fig. 5 leaving a small space below the gage. Thus, the gage enters into contact with the setback surface of the rabbet in the sole at either side of the needle path to insure holding the felt of the platform sole out of the path of the needle without interfering with the feeding movement of the sole along the gage. The gage also prevents stitches from being inserted in the highly compressible portion of the platformsole.

In some instances it is desirable to adjust the rabbet gage by moving it transversely of the seam line to provide a variable margin along the seam inserted by the needle in a shoe. For this purpose the forward edge of the gage is perforated to receive the upstanding arm of a three-arm lever 40 fulcrumed on a pin 42 carried by a bracket 44 projecting from the shank 20 of the work support. The lower arm of the lever 40 is acted upon by a compression spring 46 mounted between the lever and an abutment on the bracket 44. When the lever is rocked about its fulcrum to compress the spring the gage is drawn forwardly on the work support making the margin valong vthe seam narrower than before. Y

To move the gageduring sewing operations a forwardly projecting arm of the lever 40 is connected with a vertical treadle rod 48 arranged for convenient foot actuation. To limit the forward extreme position of the edge gage the downwardly extending arm of lever 40 carries an adjustable set screw 50 having a knurled head, the inner end of which screw acts on the abutment portion of the bracket 44.

In sewing a platform shoe of the type lreferred to it is convenient to attach the upper only to the platform sole before the platform soleA is presented to the machine, the wrapper or binding strip being directed into the seam during the sewing operation. For this purpose, the binding'strip is led through a suitable guide with one edge in registration with the edges Aof the temporarily attached upper and sock lining above the extremity of the rabbit gage. As the sewing progresses the binding strip is drawn through the guide and has a tendency to be frictionally retarded in its movement throughthe guidev so as to impart a tension to the strip.

To avoid imparting a tension to the wrapper or binding strip as it passes through the strip guide in the present machine and toV Vinsure that the strip will lie in a relaxed position, particularly about the toe of. a shoe where the cureinem vature is greatest, 'the illustrated guide is provided with a strip feeder acting on the strip to advance it at least as fast as required by the movement of the shoe during sewing. The binding strip guide of the present machine comprises a slotted enlargement 52 on the presser foot 22 of a width to receive the binding strip 8. One side of the slotted enlargement is cut out to admit a plurality of toothed members yieldingly engaging the binding strip and holding it against the unperforated side of the slotted enlargement. These toothed members project from spring metal plates 54 and 56, one of which is secured between the presser foot and the lever 24 `and the other of which is secured to a bracket 58 mounted on the frame of the machine. The plate 54`has two toothed members and the plate B has three such members,l the toothed members of the plate 5d acting" between the members of plate 5S. The members extend downwardly from their respective plates and at an angle to the binding strip material passing through the guide in a direction for advancing thebinding strip. When the presser foot moves upwardly during release of its clamping pressure on the work in each sewing cycle, the binding strip is held stationary by the toothed members on the plate 56 to advance the binding strip in the guide. During the clamping action of the presser foot on the work the toothed members on the plate 54 act tol prevent reverse movement of the binding strip relatively to the guide, thus causing a continued advancing movement of the strip inthe guide and preventing retrograde movement of the strip.

To assist in directing the binding strip agains the upper of a shoe being sewn and to insure proper registry of the binding edge with those of the upper and sock lining, the presser foot is formed with a forwardly projecting guiding lug Si! between which and the main body of the presser foot the binding strip passes. The lug 60 also assists in clamping the upper and sock lining in advance of the point of needle operation independently of the binding strip.

The arrangement of the presser foot with the binding strip guide and feeder prevents thevuse of a Vthread lifter similar to that employed in the machine of the patent to French and Meyer. Accordingly, the thread lifter lever indicated at 62`of the present machine is cut off above the binding strip guide and has secured to it a slotted arm 64 within the slot of which there is an eye bolt 6E. The eye of the bolt 66 receives the shank of the thread hook 36 and clamps it against the arm 64. The arm B4 is bent upwardly and outwardly to enable the thread lifter to clear the parts added to the presser foot.

In the machine of the patent to French and Meyer above noted, a predetermined length of needle thread is measured from the supply during the formation of each stitch. The measured length of thread is varied by the position of the presser foot on the work in accordance with the thickness of the work. In sewing an upper, sock lining and wrapper strip together the amount of variation in thickness of the work during the progress of a seam is insuliicient to require the use of a thread measuring mechanism connected with the presser foot. Accordingly, in the present machine no measurement of thread is required, the thread being drawn rpast a simple thread tension device 68` of wellingly pressed disks between which the thread passes. i

VFor convenience in raising the presser foot from the work at the end of a seam the presser foot- Vfulcrurn shaft has mounted upon it an unlocking and lifting lever IU having pivotally connected to it a forked unlocking member 12. Movement of the unlocking and lifting lever in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in'Fig. l, unlocks the presser foot by disengaging a pair of locking pawls 14 in a manner similar to that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,348,901, granted August l0, 1920, in the name of Thomas I-I. Seely. To actuate the unlocking lever 10 the lever has projecting from ita stud i6 engaged by a cam surface on an arm 18 rotatably mounted on a screw 80. The screw 8e is threaded into a bracket 482 lmounted on themachine frame. The rearward end of the arm18 carries a pin 84 passing through the hooked upper end of a treadle rod 8E. When the treadle rod is depressed the unlocking lever 16 is rotated and the rearward end of the arm 18 engages a harp-shaped member 38 connected with the rearward arm of the presser foot lever 24 to raise the presser foot from engagement with the work. To return the treadle rod to raised posiiton the pin d4 has connected to it one end of a tension spring 9B, the other end of which is secured to the machine frame. After raising the presser foot from engagement with the work the work is removed from the work support, withdrawing the sewing thread with it.

For releasing the tension on the needle thread so that it may be withdrawn readily past the tension B8, one of the tension disks has secured to it a pin 92 (see Fig. 2) slidably mounted in the other tension disk and in a passage in the machine frame. When the pin is forced to the left it separates the disks and relieves the tension on the thread. To move the pin 92 to the left its right end is engaged with the depending arm of a hand lever 94 fulcrumed on a shoulder screw 96 secured in the machine frame.

At the end of a seam when the treadle rod B5 is depressed, a connection between the treadle rod and the tension also acts to release `the thread from the tension. This connection comprises a block 98 clamped to the treadle rod and having a laterally projecting portion carrying a pair of collars |00 at either side of a link |02 through a slot in which the projecting portion of the block 98 extends. The link H12 is then in turn pivotally connected to an arm HM rotatable about a screw IDS and arranged at its forward end to ride over a cam surface on the depending rearward arm of the hand lever ed. 'Ihe shape of the cam surface is such that when the arm |04 is lowered the pin 92 will be pressed to the right and the tension'released.

While the machine is effective in sewing together a shoe similar to that disclosed in the Chandler application in which the upper is temporarily attached by cement or otherwise to the sock lining of a platform shoe, the machine also is useful where the parts are not so temporarily attached. Where the parts are not temporarily attached the platform sole with the exposed edge of the sock lining is presented to the work support and the marginal portion of the shoe upper is directed manually toward the sewing point, keeping it continually in register with the edge of the sock lining. With this type of operation the Wrapper strip is led into the sewingA point n the same manner as where the 7.. parts are ntemporarily attached; slightly. more skill and attention being required on the part of the operator, only to direct the unattached upper against the sock lining.

. The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated and a particular embodiment having been described what isclaimed is:

=1. A shoe machine Yadapted for sewing an upper to a sock lining attached to the inner surface of a platform sole, the inner edge portion of which is rabbeted to expose a margin on the sock lining beyond the setback surface of the rabbet, having a needle, a work clamping presser foot anda work support disposed with its Work engaging surface atA an angle to that part of the needle path between the work support and the presser foot to cause the needle to enter the upper and sock lining and to emerge adjacent to the edge of the sole through the rabbet, in combination with a gage fitting within the rabbet of the platform sole while clamped between the work Asupport and the presser foot, with an undercut to receive the unrabbeted portion of the sole edge, and with a surface to support the exposed'margin of the sock lining against the thrust of the needle.

V2; A shoe machine adapted for sewing anv upper to a sock lining attached to the inner surface of a platform sole, the inner edge portion of which is rabbeted to expose a margin on the 4sock lining beyond the setback surface of the rabbet, having a needle, a work clamping presser foot and a work support disposed with its work engaging surface at an angle to that part of the needle path between the work support and the presser'foot to cause the needle to enter the upper and sock lining and to emerge adjacent to the edge of the sole through the rabbet, in combination with a gage fitting within the rabbet of the platform sole while clamped between the work support and the presser foot, with an undercutto receive the unrabbeted portion of the sole edge, and with a surface to support the exposed margin of the sock lining against the thrust of the needle, and means for adjusting the position of the gage transversely of the seam line during sewing operations to vary` the margin of the seam insertedV by the needle.

3. A shoe machine adapted for sewing lan upper to a sock lining'attached to the inner surface of a platform sole, the inner edge portion of which is rabbeted to expose a margin on the sock lining beyond the setback surface of the rabbet, having a needle, a Work clamping-presser foot and a work support disposed with itsl work. engaging surface at an angle to that part of the needle path between the work support and the presser foot to cause the needle to enter the upper and sock lining and to emerge adjacent to the edge of the sole through the rabbet, in combination with a gage tting within the rabbet of the platform sole while clamped between the work support and the presser foot, with an undercut to receive the unrabbeted portion of the sole edge, and with a surface to support the exposed margin of the sock lining against the thrust of the needle, a guide for a wrapper strip rlocated to direct the strip above the gage and a feeder to relieve tension in the wrapper strip as it passes through the guide. f

4. A shoe machine adapted for sewing an upper -to' a sock lining attached to the inner surface Yof I`a platform sole, the inner edge portion of which is rabbeted to expose-a margin on thesock linbeyondrthersetback surface ofvtlierabbet,

7l ,toa .sock lining attachedtothe inner surface of having' ajneedlaa Work clamping presser foot and a work support disposed with its work engaging surface at an angle to that part of the needle pathbetween the work support and the presser foot to cause the needle to enter the upper and sock lining and to emerge adjacent to the edge of the sole through the rabbet, in combination .with a gage fitting within the rabbet of the platform sole while clamped between the work support and the presser foot, with an undercut toreceive the unrabbeted portion of the sole edge, andjwith a surface to support the Vexposed marginof the sock lining against the thrust of the needle,- a guide for a wrapper strip located to direct the strip above` the gage and a feeder to relieve tension in the Wrapper strip, comprising a toothed member yieldingly mounted on a part of the machine to act on the wrapper strip as it passes through theguide.

, -5. A shoemachine adapted for sewing an upper to a sock lining attached to the inner surface of a platform sole, the inner edge portion of which is rabbeted to expose amargin on the sock lining beyond the setback `surface of the rabbet, having a needle, a work 'clamping presser foot anda workl support disposed with its work engaging surface at an angle'to that part'of the needle path between the work support and the presser footto'cause the needle to enter the upper and sock lining and to emerge adjacent to the edge of the'sole throughthe rabbet, in combination with a gage fitting within'the rabbet of the platform sole while clamped between the work support and the presser foot, with an undercut to receive the unr'abbeted portion of the sole edge, and with'a surface to support the exposed margin'of tlnesock lining against the thrust of the needle, a guide for 'a wrapper strip located to direct the Vstrip abovethe gage and a feeder comprising'a toothed member yieldingly mounted onthe presser-foot to'relieveY the tension in the strip between the guide and the point'of needle voperation as the presserfoot clamps and releases the work during each sewing cycle. 6. A shoe machine adapted for sewing an upper to a sock lining attached to the inner surface of a platform sole, the inner edge portion of which is ralcb-etedA to expose ai margin on the sock lining beyond the setback surfaceof the rabbet, having a needle-a work clamping presser foot and a Ywork support disposed with its work engaging surface at an angle to that part of the needle path between the workrsupport and the presser foot to cause the needle to'enter the upper and sock lining and to emerge adjacent to the edge of the solefthrough the rabbet, in combination with a gage tting within the rabbet of the platformrscle while clamped between the work support and the presser foot, with anundercut to receive the unrabbeted portion ofthe sole edge, and with asurface to support the exposed margin ,of the sock lining against the thrust of the needle, a guide for a wrapper strip located to direct the strip-above the gage and a feeder to relieve vtension in-the Wrapper strip as it passes through ie guide, comprising a plurality of yielding toothed members, one of which is mounted on .the presser foot to move the wrapper strip with the presser foot as it clamps the work during each sewing cycle andanother of which toothed members is= mounted on a stationary part of the machine to prevent retrograde movement of the strip when the presser foot releases the work.-

'7. A shoe machine adapted for sewing anupper a platform sole, the inner edge portion of Which is rabbeted to expose a margin on the sock lining beyond the setback surface of the rabbet, having a curved needle, a work clamping presser foot and a work support disposed with its Work engaging surface at an angle to that part of the needle path between the work support and the presser foot to cause the needle to enter the upper and sock lining and to emerge adjacent to the edge of the sole through the rabbet, in cornn binaton with a slotted gage, the extremity of which lies between the presser foot and Work support and nts Within the rabbet of the platform sole beneath the upper and sock lining at a position to cause the needle to enter the slot therein and to support the sock lining against the thrust of th-e needle.

8. A shoe machine adapted for sewing an uper to a sock lining attached to the inner surface of a platform sole, the inn 2r edge portion of which is rabbe-ted to expose a margin on the sock lining beyond the setback surface of the rabbet, having a curved needle, a Work clamping presser foot and a Work support disposed with its Work engaging surface at an angle to that part of the needle path between the work support and the presser foot to cause the needle to enter the upper and sock lining and to emerge adjacent to the edge of the sole through the rabbet, in combination with a gage fitting within the rabbet of the platform sole for contacting the setback surface of the rabbet to direct the sewing operation along the rabbeted edge of the sole, a guide for a sole binding wrapper strip and a lug on the presser foot between which and the main body of the presser foot the Wrapper strip passes to clamp the upper and sock lining to the exclusion of the Wrapper strip in advance of the point of needle operation.

9. A shoe machine adapted for sewing an upper to a sock lining attached to the inner surface or a platform sole, the inner edge portion of which is rabbeted to expose a margin on the sock lining beyond the setback surface of the rabbet, having a curved needle, a Work clamping presser root and a Work support disposed with its Work engaging surface at an angle to that part of the needle path. between the work support and the presser foot to cause the needle to enter the upper and sock lining and to emerge adjacent to the edge of the sole through the rabbet, in combination with gage means fitting within the rabbet of the sole member while clamped between the Work support and presser foot and contacting the setback surface of the rabbet to direct the sewing operation along the rabbeted edge of the Sole having a surface for supporting the exposed margin of the sock lining against the thrust of the needle.

ALFRED S. CLARK.

REFERENCES CITED rEhe following references are of record in the nle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,828,966 Halberg et al Oct. 27, 1931 2,296,888 Whitaker' Sept.` 28, 1942 2,416,767 Miner Mar. 4, 1947 

